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Litter volunteers honored by commission

District 2 Walker County Commissioner Jeff Burrough (far left) presents certificates of appreciation to citizens who are helping to pick up litter in their areas. The presentation was made at Monday's night meeting of the commission.,

Daily Mountain Eagle - Ed Howell

Posted
Friday, July 20, 2018 12:03 am

By ED HOWELL

The Walker County Commission recognized a number of citizens on Monday who have helped with litter cleanup throughout District 2.

The honors were given at the commission's quarterly night meeting.

District 2 Commissioner Jeff Burroughs said he wanted to recognize people who not only helped with the county's litter cleanup event a few months ago, but those who regularly volunteer to clean up litter on roads in their areas.

At least one couple from outside District 2 was honored, with commissioners saying they intend to honor citizens from other districts in coming meetings.

Burrough said he got the idea for the honors while working with his crews picking up trash.

"I would look down the road and I would see someone picking up their own trash, and they wouldn't just stop there. They would keep walking," he said. "They would pick up their road and the road beside it. So I started keeping a little tab of that." Some were pointed out to him by other people by email or social media.

Burrough hoped to hand out the honors every year to encourage others to pick up litter.

Chairman Jerry Bishop noted he wants to have another litter cleanup later in the year.

"I don't know how to express my thanks to you, because I was the one who ran his mouth to help start all this," he said to the volunteers. "You made us look good. We appreciate it."

He said the county also could not progress with the effort without county crews and employees who have helped out. He noted the efforts of Janet Adams-Clayton, the human resources coordinator and a payroll official with the commission office, who also heads up the county's litter committee.

In other action, the commission:

• Voted to move the polling place for the July 17 runoff elections at the old Parrish High School to Parrish City Hall as a result of a fire the day before at the old school. The move was requested by the town, as the old school doesn't have any electricity in the building, meaning the voting machine would not function, County Engineer Mike Short said. Officials said signs would be put up to redirect voters.

District 1 Commissioner Keith Davis noted, "There was a lot of behind-the-scenes teamwork going just to move a polling place. It might sound simple but it is not a simple process. There have been numerous phone calls and messages." He said Parrish Mayor Heather Hall did "an outstanding job to get ahead of this."

County Administrator Robbie Dickerson said officials contacted director of elections Ed Packard of the Secretary of State's Office and contacted television, radio and newspapers to publicize the change. District 3 Commissioner Ralph Williams, who was absent due to illness, still made sure someone would be at the school throughout the day to also help redirect voters. Constables were to be present to help with traffic issues.

Davis said Probate Judge Rick Allison came to the scene as soon as he heard about the fire, adding that he commended all officials who helped. "It's been a team effort," Bishop said.

• Thomas Kyzer, who lives in the Tutwiler Community in District 3, asked during the public comment time why roads in the area never gets mowed and why holes in the road are not patched, noting he has seen roads only bush hogged once a year. He said a dirt roads with few residences on them are getting extensive work instead. He later said he had not talked to Williams, but he had talked to his foreman. Officials said they would make sure Kyzer's concerns are forwarded to Williams.

• Approved contacting state examiners to be put on a waiting list to perform an audit for Fiscal Year 2015.

• Held an executive session on legal matters at the end of the meeting that did not require a vote afterward.

• Heard from officials that the pads are now ready for storm shelters in Oakman, Townley and Pineywoods, and that Safe-T-Shelter was being informed by letter the county was ready for actual installment. With rains in the previous days — and not knowing the flooding that was to take place within the hour in Jasper — officials planned to recheck the pads again to make sure.

Short thanked crews from Districts 2,3 and 4 who helped on the additional work on the pads. "Everything we can do on the storm shelters has been done at this point," he said.

• Heard a meeting was scheduled the next day to discuss delays in implementation of the county's new phone system.

• Heard Dickerson say that she attended classes recently concerning county administrator duties. Dickerson confirmed earlier in the day that she had been named the new permanent county administrator after the nomination had gone recently through the Walker County Civil Service Board.

• Agreed to a Digital Information Cooperative Agreement for the Reappraisal Department dealing with mapping needs, amounting to a $18,750 grant. The Alabama Department of Transportation will provide $15,000, or 80 percent of the funds, with the remaining $3,750, or 20 percent, coming from county funds set aside for the project.